Drug Addiction:

Drug addiction is a serious problem in America and throughout the world. Millions of people are addicted to some substance or another. The most common drugs that cause addictions are alcohol, methamphetamine, cocaine, nicotine, heroin, oxycodone, and barbiturates. We know that certain types of drugs are much more prone to cause instant addiction like heroin or cocaine versus something like alcohol which generally requires the user many more exposures to it before they are "hooked". I have always been fascinated with why some people become addicted while others know when it's been "enough" and stop. Drug addiction can be emotional, pyschological, and physical in nature. Some users are genetically predisposed with addictive traits that make them a better "victim" for the drugs. The real question to me is why do people even do the drugs in the first place. Many of us grown up these days with an introduction to alcohol and marijuana at a very young age (10 to 17) and we see others indulging in these drugs mostly on weekends but some take them on a regularly basis. Teenagers are very susceptible to drugs since they are going through major changes in their lives both physically and emotionally as they transition into adulthood. Socially, many drugs make them feel more at ease with themselves so they continue taking them during these awkward years.

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I was recently introduced to the tv show Intervention which airs on A&E Network. The show follows an addict and their lifestyle with video cameras rolling almost nonstop. You get a pretty good idea of just what the drugs can do to someone when you see it up close. The families have allowed the show (with the permission of the addict) to tape the user in exchange for a chance at rehab (for free). You see just how screwed up the addicts are and how the families that surround them suffer just as much from an emotional and psychological standpoint. Many families have enabling characteristics which keep the addict going and allow the behavior to go unchecked. Part of an intervention is to create boundaries for the family going forward to help the addict deal with their drug problem and help the family develop better coping mechanisms. Some addicts are allowed to continue for a decade or more before the family decides to try something different than just protect the user. The book "Beautiful Boy" by David Sheff is a very compelling story of a mans son who has slipped into a methamphetamine addiction along with other drugs. Mr. Sheff is caught between protecting his son and getting him out of trouble while at the same time trying to get him help. The story goes back and forth over years with rehab stints, doctors, therapists, and tough love thrown in. In the end, only the person with the addiction can make the change to stop using. Many of the addicts return to treatment over and over and never actually overcome their addiction. The real issue is also how families are destroyed by this type of behavior. Parents divorce, siblings become hostile and angry, the family dynamics are torn to pieces and the one with the addiction becomes the center of attention even when they are never around. I grew up with an addictive sibling and eventhough he has now been sober for years, his behavior took its toll on everyone in the house. Relationships were strained, feeling were hurt, and deep rooted issues went unsolved well into adulthood for many of us. The one thing we do know is that if left unchecked, the vast majority of addicts will never heal themselves on their own. Rehab facilities are your best chance and even those have a small % of success stories. Interventions are becoming more popular and I like the idea of them since the entire support system realizes they have a duty to heal themselves as well and stop enabling the addict going forward. One of the biggest issues is that the top rehab treatment centers cost $1000's and most of us are unable to afford that.

Rehab Centers - Cost - Locations:

We hear about places like Passages (Malibu), Promises (Malibu), Hope by the Sea (Oregon), and The Sober Choice (Florida) but there are literally 100's of drug rehabilitation centers around the United States. Celebrities like Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, and Colin Farrell enter drug rehab and it's big news that covers the tabloids. The famous actors and celebs usually go to the top of the line treatment centers like Promises in Malibu where they get privacy and quality care for, but the cost is $1000's/day. Some programs are faith based or Christian treatment centers and others delve into intensive therapy and self-evaluation that includes family and friends. The bottom line is that most rehab centers don't actually work per se. Many deeply addicted people find themselves going in and out of rehab for years with many finally giving up. The detox off of heroin can be very dangerous if not done properly and that is why those with addictions to heroin tend to go to a detox center and then move on to a rehab treatment facility. If you are looking to place a loved one in a drug rehab program start by looking online at Drug-Rehabs.com or http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov. Both offer up searches by addiction or by state and location. Many times the manager of the rehab facility wants the addict to be relocated away from their homestate for the program. They need to get away from those that have helped enable the behavior and get a clean start. Some programs are state funded and offer subsidized or free rehab. Many of the programs are setup for 90 days, but most experts will tell you 6 months or a year are better options. It takes time to work through the issues that an addict has and 90 days just isn't enough. That is perhaps why most addicts relapse and drop out of recovery because the time spent in rehab just isn't enough, plus you can't force them to stay legally. The key is to get your loved one into a long term residential drug treatment facility where they learn to get back into the real world over time. They often live on site and go to a job each day only to return at night and go to programs to continue their process.

Inpatient vs Outpatient:

Inpatient programs are setup for those who are homeless or perhaps lack any kind of self-discipline. Most addicts could use inpatient programs, although many go with the outpatient centers that give more freedom and control. Obviously, addicts are in programs because they don't have control over drugs they take so inpatient programs are designed to help the most. You can't hold an unwilling adult in programs if they don't want to be there. The overall support system needs to be so rock solid that the patient will not succumb to feelings of relapse. Drug addiction is a psychological game that goes on inside the head of patients as well as in their physical body. Many addicts think that after 2 or 3 months of not using they are ok to go back out into society and function properly. Getting off the drugs is just the initial part and then figuring out why you did them in the first place and felt a need to keep doing them needs to be taken care of. Inpatient programs keep the addicts on site more so they are able to work through their issues at all times of the day versus outpatient programs where the addict may be living in an apartment off site and essentially has no support system when they need it most. We found many postings in online blogs about drug addiction where the addicts say some outpatient programs are setup for failure with drugs being passed over the fences or brought into the facility. Again, it comes down to the individual person to decide if they are ready to quit and move on with their life. No program is perfect because if it was, everyone would go there.

Recovery - Relapse:

Most drug treatment programs have a success rate from 2-20% which means you are fighting an uphill battle to begin with. Although some programs claim better results, it's unproven as to which ones are the best. Relapse is a common occurrence amongst the truly addicted as they must "test" themselves more often than not and see if they are still addicted. Those that relapse say they felt like they had gotten a handle of their drug problem and could now control it. Relapse is a bad sign since it means that the treatment didn't teach them that they are unable to do drugs ever again, no matter how in control they feel. Recovery is a lifelong process for these addicts and so there is always hope, although many parents and families say they remain concerned for an addict even after a decade of sobriety. AA, or alcoholics anonymous, is perhaps the most famous program known to us that helps addicts deal with their daily lives. There are meetings almost all the time throughout cities. You can find your local chapter at www.alcoholics-anonymous.org. Some addicts attend daily sessions and do so for years or a lifetime to stay clean and sober. "Whatever it takes" is what I say.

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